Functions and applications of implantable brain-computer interfaces in medical treatment and scientific research

doi:10.12211/2096-8280.2022-071

Abstract

Abstract:

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) currently exist primarily as a neuroprosthesis that allows electronic devices to communicate directly with parts of human brain, typically the cerebral cortex. In recent years, implantable BCI technology has made remarkable progress, and its applications have been expanded significantly, indicating that research achievements on neuroscience and their important transformation to BCI technology are interacted more efficiently and effectively. BCI is a process in which collected brain signals are decoded into digital information by a decoding algorithm through signal analysis, and computer, mechanical prosthesis, or other electrical stimulation device can be controlled based on this information. The most common applications of BCI are in medical applications, usually by capturing brain signals to synthesize understandable communications. For example, artificial tactile stimuli can be obtained through targeted electrical stimulation of the sensory cortex of brain, allowing patients with upper limb paralysis to imaginatively move their arms with the help from a tablet computer, restoring hand control through electrical stimulation of specific muscle tissues in the hand, and so on. Diseases like spinal cord injury, motor neuron disease, and stroke are currently untreatable, and BCI can be used to restore many interactive functions for paralyzed patients so that they can live and work normally, such as being able to communicate with others, such as talking, typing, and online socializing. On the other hand, BCI is also a powerful tool in neuroscience to study brain functions, such as conscious and subconscious feedback in brain-behavioral relationships. BCI for the motor function is the mainstream of research in these two fields. More and more BCI applications would be introduced in the near future, which could benefit paralyzed patients and patients with mental disorders, improving, even restoring their life qualities. In this article, we review the development of BCI and the different types of signal sources, with a focus on the medical-oriented and research-oriented BCI as well.

Key words: neuroprosthesis, communication, medical, artificial tactile stimuli, paralysis, neuroscience, motor function

摘要：

脑机接口，目前主要作为一种神经替代体存在，它使电子设备能够直接与大脑的某些部分，通常是大脑皮层进行通信。近几年植入式脑机接口技术取得了非常显著的进步，功能应用方面也有了重大的拓展。最常见的脑机接口应用在医疗方面，典型形式如仅通过采集大脑的信号就能合成出听得懂的语音，通过对大脑感觉皮层进行定点电刺激来获得人工触觉，让上肢瘫痪的患者通过想象拨动手指来使用平板电脑，通过电刺激手部特定肌肉群来恢复对手的控制功能，等等。像脊髓损伤、运动神经元疾病或中风等病症目前是难以治疗的，通过脑机接口的方式可以恢复瘫痪患者的实质性交互功能。另外，在神经科学研究领域，脑机接口也是研究神经替代体和大脑-行为关系中意识和潜意识反馈的强大方法。这两个方面中的研究主流都是针对运动功能的脑机接口。本文回顾了脑机接口的发展以及不同类型的信号源，并分别对面向医疗和面向科研的脑机接口进行介绍。

关键词: 神经替代体, 通信, 医疗, 人工触觉, 瘫痪, 神经科学, 运动功能

CLC Number:

Q819

Ling LIU, Shengjie ZHENG, Huixi DOU, Xiaojian LI. Functions and applications of implantable brain-computer interfaces in medical treatment and scientific research[J]. Synthetic Biology Journal, 2023, 4(2): 407-417.

刘菱, 郑胜杰, 窦汇溪, 李骁健. 植入式脑机接口在医疗与科研中的作用与应用[J]. 合成生物学, 2023, 4(2): 407-417.

Figures/Tables 4

Fig. 1 Sensor locations and signal sources and waves of various brain-computer interfaces[15]

Fig. 2 Nerve pulse signals recorded in brain-computer interfaces cannot remain stable for a long time

Fig. 3 Activities of primary motor cortex neurons correlate directly with limb movement state[3]

Fig. 4 Changes in neural activities in mouse motor cortex during natural motor learning[67]

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